Froome Climbs to Victory in Stage 15 of Tour de France

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Nairo Quintana in the final kilometer of the Mont Ventoux climb Fotoreporter Sirotti

Team Saxo-Tinkoff's Alberto Contador climbs the Mont Ventoux in the Tour de France 2013 Fotoreporter Sirotti

Chris Froome celbrates his Tour de France lead on Mont Ventoux Fotoreporter Sirotti

Froome Climbs to Victory in Stage 15 of Tour de France

Chris Froome (Sky) has won on Mont Ventoux. The Sky man surged away from Nairo Quintana (Movistar) with 1.2 km left to win Stage 15, a 242-km ride from Givors to Mont Ventoux, in 5:48:45. Quintana finished second at 0:29, and Mikel Nieve (Euskaltel-Euskadi) finished third at 1:29. Froome has extended his overall lead in the Tour de France.

Chris Froome (Sky) has won on Mont Ventoux. The Sky man surged away from Nairo Quintana (Movistar) with 1.2 km left to win Stage 15, a 242-km ride from Givors to Mont Ventoux, in 5:48:45. Quintana finished second at 0:29, and Mikel Nieve (Euskaltel-Euskadi) finished third at 1:29. Froome has extended his overall lead in the Tour de France.

After a number of abortive sallies, 10 men escaped at 30 km. They were Peter Sagan (Cannondale), Markel Irizar (RadioShack-Leopard), Pierrick Fedrigo and Jeremy Roy (both from Francaise des Jeux), Christophe Riblon (Ag2r-La Mondiale), Alberto Losada (Katusha), Sylvain Chavanel (Omega Pharma-Quick Step), Daryl Impey (Orica-GreenEdge), Wouter Poels (Vacansoleil-DCM), and Julien El Fares (Sojasun). Marcus Burghardt (BMC) and Pierre Rolland (Europcar) attempted to bridge up to the move, as did Mikel Astarloza (Euskaltel-Euskadi) and Christophe Le Mevel (Cofidis). At 52 km, the break led Burghardt and Rolland by 1:08 and Astarloza and Le Mevel by 1:30, with the peloton at 4:05.

Eventually, Le Mevel and Astarloza gave up and drifted back to the bunch. The break pressed on and forged a 7:05 lead by 70 km. Europcar went to the front and began to press the pace. Ahead, Rolland got to within 0:15 of the break, but the Frenchman was unable to join the escapees. The peloton reeled in Rolland and Burghardt at 103 km, at which point the bunch trailed the break by 5:05. At 125 km, El Fares dropped out of the break, and the bunch eventually absorbed him.

At the feedzone, the bunch trailed the break by 4:35. At 149 km, Movistar took over at the front and kept the gap between 3:30 and 4:00. During the approach to Mont Ventoux, Euskaltel-Euskadi took command and upped the pace. With 29 km to go, the break led the bunch by 3:00. Sky joined the Spanish squad at the front.